Un Says It's Ready To Ramp Up Delivery Of Desperately Needed Aid To Gaza

The United Nations said Wednesday that it's ready to ramp up the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza following a ceasefire agreement and urged the removal of major security and political obstacles so supplies can reach all Palestinians in need.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the announcement of a deal to pause the fighting "a critical first step" and told reporters that the U.N.'s top priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by the conflict triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel.

"The humanitarian situation is at catastrophic levels," he said. "From our side, we will do whatever is humanly possible, aware of the serious challenges and serious constraints that we will be facing."

U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said aid agencies have been mobilizing supplies in preparation for a ceasefire to scale up deliveries of food , medical supplies and other key items.

Less than half of Gaza's 36 hospitals are functional, water production is at a quarter of capacity, 95 of school buildings have been damaged or destroyed and nearly all of Gaza's 2.1 million people are facing high levels of food insecurity , said Catherine Russell, executive director of the U.N. children's agency UNICEF.